EC Microbiology

Introduction: A wide variety of diseases can manifest as lymphadenopathy or swollen lymph nodes. When encountering a case of lymphadenopathy, certain diagnostic considerations include the age of the individual person, location of the pathology, duration of illness, and any associated symptoms. The critical task is to differentiate between benign, malignant, and any other condition requiring specific management. The differentiation is based on clinical, radiological, and histological investigations.

Aim of Work: The aim of this study is to overview lymphadenopathy.

Materials and Methods: This review is a comprehensive search of PUBMED from the year 1974 to 2021.

Conclusion: Since lymph nodes behave like the police stations of our body, lymphadenopathy involves a wide range of diseases. Several considerations influence both the incidence and prognosis of lymphadenopathy. In general, lymphadenopathy occurs more commonly among children and in the cervical region. The size and shapes of lymph nodes on radiographic imaging can suggest possible disease-causing lymphadenopathy. Further diagnostic evaluation, if needed, is done by FNAC, but excisional biopsy is considered the gold standard. A plethora of investigations comprising of history taking, physical exam, imaging, lab work, and finally, a biopsy may decide the possible treatment plan.

Keywords: Lymphadenopathy; Lymph Node; Ultrasound; Computed Tomography; FNAC; Biopsy; Malignancy

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